Corrective shoe with abduction strap



March 1967 c. A. EDWARDS 3,308,829

CORRECTIVE SHOE WITH ABDUCTION STRAP Filed April 18, 1966 nNuaN'rog 42 v05 5. Eaweeos smm.m+m

arrorzuevs United States Patent Ofiice 3,308,829 CORRECTIVE SHOE WITH ABDUCTION STRAP Clyde A. Edwards, 4059 River Road, Muncie, Ind. 46618 Filed Apr. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 543,283 8 Claims. (Cl. 128-583) The present invention generally relates to an improved and novel corrective shoe construction incorporating therein an abduction strap for aiding in the correction of foot deformities and more particularly aiding in correction of a condition known as clubfoot in which the frontal portion of the foot tends to curve medially. For example, the frontal portion of the right foot would tend to curve to the left. This application is a continuation-impart of my application Ser. No. 281,683 filed May 20, 1963, now abandoned, and entitled, Corrective Shoe With Abductor Strap.

As in my parent application above identified, it is an object of the present invention to provide a strap having one end attached to a portion of the sole of a shoe at a point near its medial margin and being adjustably connected to the opposite side of the shoe whereby the strap may be employed for efiectively abducting the forefoot laterally. The end of this strap which is anchored to the sole preferably lies initially well beneath the side of the wearers foot at the medial margin of the shoe. Thus, when the strap is tensioned, the initial pull of the foot is lateral rather than downward. The word sole is used generically unless the insole or the outsole is specifically designated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an abduction strap which is anchored beneath the foot at a point spaced toward the center of the sole from its medial margin, and has a wide portion which engages the side of the foot both anteriorly and posteriorly of the first metatarsal head for providing an effective abduction strap.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a corrective shoe in accordance with the preceding objects having a firm heel support together with a heel strap for securing the heel firmly in the shoe for retaining the foot in a straight position.

As disclosed in the instant application, the invention also contemplates a preferred arrangement in which the tongue is not permanently connected to any other part of the shoe but is held in position beneath the laces by reason of the fact that the abduction strap and the heel positioning strap both pass through slots in this floating tongue, thereafter passing through slots in the outside of the shoe upper before being connected to their respective buckles.

Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide a corrective shoe with an abduction strap which is effective in use, easy to apply, effective in its corrective functions, easily adjusted as to degree of tension, even in its distribution of pressure, and generally long lasting and comfortable to the wearer.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully herinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing the shoe as it appears prior to application to the wearers foot.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view 'of the shoe as applied to a club foot with the quarter margins unlaced.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic view in cross section on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the change in position of the foot when the abduction strap is tensioned, and showing the laces tightened.

3,308,829 Patented Mar. 14, 1967 FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view in perspective illustrating a clubfoot condition, the corrected position of the foot being illustrated in dotted lines.

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective showing a special insole and abduction strap combination which may constitute a separate article of manufacture.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail view taken in cross section through a portion of an insole and a portion of an abduction strap to illustrate a modified assembly of these parts.

As illustrated in full lines in FIG. 5, the left forefoot portion 14 of the foot 12 turns medially to the right. It is desired to straighten out the foot so that the frontal portion thereof will extend forwardly generally as shown in the dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 5. This is accomplished by applying lateral pressure to the medial side surface of the foot thereby laterally abducting the frontal portion 14 of the foot 12 toward the straight line position of a normal foot. It will be appreciated that this straightening operation is not accomplished immediately since it requires continuous exertion of pressure thereon while the bone formation of the foot conforms to the pressures exerted. Thus, the present invention has incorporated an abduction strap generally designated by numeral 16 into a corrective shoe for exerting such pressure on the foot and for gradually correcting the deformity.

The corrective shoe 10' has its upper attached to its sole in any desired manner. Preferably, the quarters of the upper are open at the front, although this is not essential. In the construction selected to exemplify the invention, the upper 20 is stitched at 24 to both the inside margin 21 and the outside margin 23 of a sole member 22, to which the outsole 26 is then attached in any appropriate manner. The stitching 24 may, if desired, be covered by an insole 28 which is in addition to a special insole 30 to which a broad portion 15 of the abduction strap 16 is connected at a point which is spaced inwardly from the medial portion of quarter 32 at the medial side of the shoe, as clearly shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7. The broad anchorage portion 15 of the strap may be skived thin as shown in FIG. 7 at 34, and anchored by cement or stitches 36. Alternatively, the insole 31 may be slit to receive the skived extremity 34 as shown in FIG. 7.

It is broadly immaterial how many sole plies are employed and it is likewise broadly immaterial how the abduction strap 16 is attached. It is important that the point of attachment be in a position in which it will initially be not merely beside but beneath the medial forward portion 14 of the wearers foot. It is also quite desirable that the attached end portion 15 of the abduction strap have considerable extent longitudinally of the shoe. This enables pressure to be exerted over a relatively large area of the medial portion of the foot. By extending the foot-engaging anchorage portion of the strap both anteriorly and posteriorly of the first metatarsal head of the foot, an even and comfortable pressure may be exerted on the foot for abducting the forefoot laterally. The strap 16 is otherwise elongated and relatively narrow, having a plurality of apertures 38 spaced longitudinally therein. The narrow strap portion extends through a slot 40 formed in the floating tongue 42 and thence through slot 44 formed in a position above the sole. The strap is then adjustably secured to the quarter 32 of upper 20 by an adjustment buckle 46 below the slot 44.

A heel anchoring strap 48 is provided to extend across the instep of the wea-rers foot in a direction having a substantial longitudinal component for holding the heel of the wearers foot snugly against the counter of the shoe (the rear portion, whether reinforced or not). In the instant embodiment, a buckle 50 is provided at the counter on the outside of the shoe as by strap 51 and stitching 52. The strap 48 is anchored, as by stitching, at or near the counter at the medial exterior back part of the shoe and thence passes through a slot 54 to the interior and thence across the tongue 42 which is provided with slots 56 to receive it. Strap 48 then passes through a slot 58 in the upper at the lateral side of the shoe and is provided with appropriate holes for adjustable connection with buckle 50.

The top edges of the upper 20 are provided with a plurality of eyelets 60 which form openings for receiving the shoelace 62 so that the lacing may cross-connect the upper margins of the inside and outside quarter portions of the shoe in the usual manner. While the tongue 42 may be attached to the upper in any desired manner, the dis-closed floating tongue positioned beneath the laces by the abduction strap and the heel anchoring strap has been found very satisfactory.

It will be understood that the abduction strap may be built into a shoe to be anchored therein substantially at the point indicated or it may be assembled to an insole ply 30 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 for incorporation in a shoe which may not initially have been made for such a strap.

In use, the patients foot may be inserted in a shoe which is open as shown in FIG. 1, and the heel strap 48 is then attached to buckle 50 to hold the heel snugly into the heel portion of the shoe with the floating tongue 42 overlying the patients foot. The abduction strap 16 may then be passed through the slot 44 in the lateral quarter of the shoe, with the foot lying within the shoe as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. I

Normally, the foot will then be manually displaced from the position of FIG. 3 (full line position of FIG. to that of FIG. 4 as is shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 5, the strap 16 then being tensioned and connected to buckle 46.

However, the forcpart of the foot may be abducted simply by tensioning the free end of strap 16 and securing it to buckle 46. This is facilitated because of the point at which the end portion of the abduction strap 16 is anchored. There will, in the first instance, tend to be mode tension laterally upon the users foot than downwardly. However, as the medial side portion 14 of the wearers foot approaches a position directly over the anchorage stitching at 36, the abduction strap will develop considerable downward pressure. Finally, the laces are preferably applied and fastened.

In due course, the pressure exerted on the forefoot will cause the deformed foot to be abducted into a straight condition. This may not occur when the shoe is first worn but, as time progresses, succeeding sizes of shoes will effectively straighten the deformed foot.

The counter and heel anchoring strap provide for firm heel support and control. To provide additional comfort, the upper is not necessarily stiffened but may be constructed of relatively pliable material such as leather or other suitable material. The final lacing illustrated in FIG. 4 together with the straps holds the shoe and enclosed foot in remedial position and status While the shoe is being worn.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, within the scope of the invention as claimed.

1 claim:

1. In a corrective device for alleviating a clubfoot condition, a new article of manufacture comprising a sole element having medial and lateral side margins and adapted to support the users foot, and a flexible strap having an anchorage portion connected to the sole element across the transverse width of the strap at a location spaced inwardly from the medial side margin thereof for a distance suflicient so that it will underlie a portion of the wearers foot supported on said element, said strap having a portion positioned to extend about the first metatarsal head of such a foot and having suflicient length to pass about a wearers foot so supported and to extend across such a foot, and having a free terminal end which, when tensioned, will exert abduction pressure upon such a foot in a direction which is primarily toward the lateral side margin of said element as distinguished from downwardly thereon.

2. A corrective device according to claim 1 in which the strap has a broad anchorage portion having suflicient extent longitudinally of the sole element to exert lateral pressure on the wearers foot both fore and aft of the first metatarsal head thereof.

3. A corrective shoe for alleviating a clubfoot condition, said shoe comprising the combination with a sole having medial and lateral margins and having inner and outer quarter portions respectively connected with the sole adjacent said margins, of an insole disposed on the sole and adapted to support therefrom a foot requiring correction, a strap having means for connecting it with the insole across the transverse width of the strap at a location beneath the first metatarsal head of a foot so supported, said connection means being spaced centrally from the medial margin of the insole, said strap extending thence toward the adjacent quarter portion in a position to underlie the position of the wearers foot and thence extending upwardly beside the position of such a foot and having a free end portion extending transversely of the insole and spaced thereabove to pass over the position of such a foot, said shoe having adjacent its lateral margin an anchorage with which said strap has a free end portion releasably connected, tension of said free end portion to ward the lateral margin of the sole exerting abduction pressure on a foot supported on the insole, which pressure is more lateral than downward because of the anchorage of said strap to the insole at a point spaced inwardly from the position of the medial margin of a foot so supported.

4. In a clubfoot corrective shoe, the combination with i a sole and an upper having lower quarter portions respectively connected with the sole adjacent medial and lateral side margins thereof, said quarter portions having upper margins over the sole, of means for cross-connecting to each other the upper margins of the quarter portions of the upper, an abduction strap having an anchorage extending across the transverse width of the strap and connected to the forepart of said sole at a location spaced centrally of said sole from its medial margin, said strap extending from said anchorage toward said medial side margin and thence upwardly in spaced relation to the quarter which is connected with the medial margin of the sole and thence extending above the sole toward the lateral margin thereof and having means for adjustably connecting it under tension at a level above the sole and near the lateral margin thereof.

5. In a shoe according to claim 4, a floating tongue underlying the said means for cross-connecting said quarter margins, said floating tongue having a slot through which said abduction strap extends as one means of positioning the tongue.

6. A shoe according to claim 5 in which said floating tongue has further means for the positioning thereof including a heel strap disposed in a direction having a greater longitudinal component than vertical component, said heel strap having a fixed anchorage at one side of the shoe and an adjustable anchorage at the other, the floating tongue having an aperture through which the heel strap extends.

7. A shoe according to claim 4 having a heel portion at the rear of the sole, and a heel strap having a connection with the outside of the upper at one side of the shoe adjacent said heel portion, and having an adjustable connection with the upper at the other side of the shoe.

5 8. A shoe according to claim 7 in which the upper quarter portions have slots spaced downwardly from their respective upper margins and through which said heel strap extends in a direction having a substantial component in a front-to-rear direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 20,138 9/1913 Great Britain.

6/1940 Cohen 36--54 10 6 OTHER REFERENCES Brace to Correct Varus of the Fore Part of the Foot, by Lusskin, in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, vol. 33-A, No. 1, January, 1961, page 269.

Equino-Varus ad in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, July 1956, page 10.

Equino-Varus ad in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, October 1963, page 55, vol. 45-A #7.

ROBERT E. MORGAN, Acting Pri mmy Examiner. RICHARD A. GAUDET, Examiner.

J. W. HINEY, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CORRECTIVE DEVICE FOR ALLEVIATING A CLUBFOOT CONDITION, A NEW ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE COMPRISING A SOLE ELEMENT HAVING MEDIAL AND LATERAL SIDE MARGINS AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE USER''S FOOT, AND A FLEXIBLE STRAP HAVING AN ANCHORAGE PORTION CONNECTED TO THE SOLE ELEMENT ACROSS THE TRANSVERSE WIDTH OF THE STRAP AT A LOCATION SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE MEDIAL SIDE MARGIN THEREOF FOR A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT SO THAT IT WILL UNDERLIE A PORTION OF THE WEARER''S FOOT SUPPORTED ON SAID ELEMENT, SAID STRAP HAVING A PORTION POSITIONED TO EXTEND ABOUT THE FIRST 